At 18, Paul Berge, author of Muzzy, Niland Corner, Bootleg Skies, and Aeromancy, volunteered for the Army during the Vietnam War to avoid college. As with all veterans, he had to survive Basic Training, which was intimidating and painful but ultimately damn silly. On the positive side, they let him shoot up shit with machine guns, which is way better than college. A-5-2 takes the reader from civilian to soldier via institutional absurdity unimaginable outside the Twilight Zone but routine inside the military. Welcome to Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 2nd Basic Combat Infantry Brigade: A-5-2. Childhood ends now....
